Multi-pack Product Transfer System

With our expertise in conveying and platforms, we’ve managed to build partnerships with some of the biggest food manufacturers in the industry. Our client for this project is a well known UK leading snack producer, with a group of highly automated production plants across the country looking to further expand their production lines in collaboration with Sapcote Engineering.

The project objective was to design and manufacture a complete in-feed and out-feed product transfer system for a large multi-head weigher machine and a multi-pack bagging unit, allowing up to 6 different flavoured products to be bagged together in a multi-pack bag. We were also tasked with integrating our equipment with numerous existing vibratory conveyors along the processing line. Our approach to the engineering design of the system consisted of designing and manufacturing six rows of in-feed conveyors, a two-storey access platform and an out-feed line with an integrated product reject system.

We started with designing an access platform to be installed around a large multi-head weigher raised to a height of over 5 metres from the ground. The client required access at two different levels of the weigher with the first being level with the weigher heads at 4 metres high and the second level being above the weigher at 6.5 metres. The first level of the platform was designed to support 12 small to medium sized vibratory conveyors provided by the client to feed into the individual weigher heads with product dropping onto the vibratory conveyors from the top level of the platform.

For the initial feed of the line we created a row of six flat belt in-feed hoppers to aid the manual loading of product onto the six individual lines. The hoppers were designed with operator safety and convenience in mind, with a lowered and fully guarded in-feed point to allow for the loading to be carried out safely at the optimum lifting height. Therefore reducing the amount of physical movement required to a minimum, leading to a lower likelihood of repetitive strain injuries. The hoppers were designed to feed product onto a set of larger vibratory conveyors for even distribution, meaning we had to adapt our designs to suit, ensuring a smooth product transfer between equipment.

To raise the product from the ground level to above the weigher, we designed a set of 7.5 metre high ‘swan-neck’ incline conveyors of varying lengths to suit the different product drop locations. The incline conveyors were supported from both the ground and the top level of the access platform with emergency stops placed at all levels for increased safety.

After the product is fed through the weigher unit and processed by the multi-pack bagger it is then transferred onto our newly installed out-feed system, consisting of a 4.5 metre long takeout conveyor and a large rotary table. As per the customer’s specifications, we also built a bespoke product reject system under the weigher consisting of a pneumatic diverter chute with interchangeable chute heads of varying sizes to provide the flexibility of processing different product sizes. This system allowed the automated diversion of rejected product, preventing it from entering the multi-pack bagging machine to reduce excess packaging waste.

We continue to support our client with ongoing work to help improve their productivity and efficiency throughout their production lines.